title: Consolidation therapy for HBeAg-positive Asian chronic hepatitis B patients receiving lamivudine treatment: a multicentre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients, continuing therapy (consolidation) for 6-12 months before cessation of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) was recommended. This study aimed to investigate whether a longer period of lamivudine consolidation therapy leads to better outcomes and the clinical factors associated with response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Combined response [HBeAg seroconversion and undetectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by PCR assay] 6 months [end of follow-up (EOF)] after cessation of therapy was assessed in 101 HBeAg-positive chronically infected patients who received continued long-term lamivudine treatment and achieved a combined response at the end of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of combined response at EOF was 40.6%. A lower pretreatment HBV DNA level, a longer duration of consolidation therapy, pretreatment hepatitis B surface antigen titre <1500 IU/mL and a higher proportion of consolidation duration of >18 months were significantly associated with combined response. A lower pretreatment HBV DNA level and a longer duration of consolidation therapy were independent factors associated with combined response at EOF by multivariate logistic regression analyses. The rate of combined response was 71.4%, 39.0% and 25.6% in patients with consolidation duration of >18 months, 12-18 months and <12 months, respectively (P = 0.001). Consolidation therapy for >18 months achieved a significantly higher rate of combined response at EOF in patients achieving combined response within or after 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consolidation therapy for >18 months significantly improved the outcome of lamivudine therapy, particularly for patients who achieved a combined response after 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Tai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Grace Lai Hung
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jee-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Vincent Wai Sun
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chun-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Henry Lik Yuen
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ding-Shinn
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D019259:Lamivudine
keywords: HBV DNA; hepatitis B e antigen; nucleos(t)ide analogues